Mark McElligott – Builder
Mark McElligott’s passion for the game of rugby, and friendship with Paul Roy, has resulted in the development of the sport in Prince Albert. McElligott played rugby in Saskatoon for Holy Cross High School and the Wild Oats of the North Saskatchewan Rugby League, before attending St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, where he played for the X-Men. In the mid-80’s McElligott moved to Prince Albert to work for CIBC and joined the Prince Albert Gryphons Rugby Club. He was a leader on that team as a player and coach, including being a team captain through 1995 when the Gryphons ceased operation.
In 2001, McElligott teamed up with Roy to develop a high school rugby program leading to the Prince Albert Dragons who joined the North Saskatchewan Junior Rugby League in 2002. The Dragons were made up of high school players from the public school division and played in the North Saskatchewan Junior Rugby League. The year 2018 marked the 16th season for the Dragons who finished 1st or 2nd fourteen times.
The debut of the Prince Albert Whiskey Jacks senior team came in 2015, initiated by McElligott and Roy. The two were instrumental in coaching, fundraising and guiding the club with hard work and determination. McElligott also was a key player with the Whiskey Jacks, who would win the second division title in 2017 then the provincial crown in 2018.
In 2016 McElligott and Roy teamed up again to create Prince Albert Mini Rugby. This program is for children aged 3-14 to be introduced to rugby and had 70 registrations who would have the opportunity to learn from the two veteran coaches.
McElligott has coached, mentored and developed over 200 student-athletes in the Dragons program from its inception in 2002 through to 2018. Dragon players to go on to play at a National level with the Prairie Wolf Pack and Prairie Blizzard include: Rylan Gibb, Ashton Milligan, Tristen Franc, Kaleb Beauchesne and Jesse Mourot, among others. Franc and Milligan have also played internationally for the Dog River Howlers during South American tours.
Rugby in Prince Albert exists because of the friendship of Mark McElligott and Paul Roy and their hard work, time, knowledge, skills, determination, sacrifice and love of the game.
Mark McElligott joins the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in the Builders category.
